Rf. Gillum et al., BODY-FAT DISTRIBUTION AND HYPERTENSION INCIDENCE IN WOMEN AND MEN - THE NHANES-I EPIDEMIOLOGIC FOLLOW-UP-STUDY, International journal of obesity, 22(2), 1998, pp. 127-134
OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that an elevated ratio of subscapula
r to triceps skinfold thickness (SFR), one measure of truncal obesity,
is associated with increased incidence of essential hypertension. DES
IGN: Data from the NHANES I Epidemiologic Follow-up Study (NHEFS) were
analyzed. SUBJECTS: A cohort of 4303 women and 2579 men with complete
data who were normotensive at baseline in 1971-1975. MEASUREMENTS: In
cidence of hypertension, blood pressure 160/95 mm Hg or greater or on
blood pressure medication at follow-up in 1982-1984. RESULTS: There wa
s a statistically significant increase in risk of hypertension over ap
proximately 10 y follow-up in white women aged 25-74 y with SFR in the
fifth compared to the first quintile independent of age and body mass
index (BMI) (relative risk = 1.52, 95% confidence interval 1.13-2.06,
P = 0.006). The association was somewhat diminished after controlling
for baseline blood pressure, change in BMI and other risk variables.
An even stronger association was seen for subscapular skinfold and hyp
ertension incidence. In white men aged 25-74 y, a significant associat
ion of high SFR with age-, BMI-adjusted risk of hypertension was seen
(RR = 1.41, 95% Cl 1.01-1.96, P = 0.04). Data for black women or black
men failed to reveal significant variation in hypertension risk among
quintiles of SFR or subscapular skinfold except in black women with l
ow baseline BMI. CONCLUSIONS: Data from NHEFS confirm the association
of higher truncal obesity with increased incidence of hypertension in
white women. Further studies are needed, especially in larger samples
of black women.